1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to autonomous cleaning systems, and more particularly, to autonomous floor cleaning devices that are operable in a number of cleaning “modes” and are trainable such that users can specify a desired cleaning path for the floor cleaning device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Autonomous floor cleaning devices have gained in popularity and utility in recent years. The various benefits of having a cleaning device that will automatically initiate and complete a cleaning routine without continuous user interaction have increased the common use of such devices. However, such devices are not without their respective drawbacks.
One drawback of such a device can be attributed to the navigation of such devices. Because many floor cleaning devices are designed to randomly traverse the area to be cleaned, many such systems are provided with generally complex navigation systems that include collision avoidance features, device position monitoring systems, and ledge avoidance guidance.
The collision avoidance systems are often configured such that the device does not unnecessarily contact the relatively rigid structures associated with furniture, walls, and the like. Such operation protects the appearance of both the structure and the device as well as the operating integrity of the device. Many such navigation controls also include systems that are configured to detect moving objects, such as persons or pets, in the vicinity of the device. Commonly, the navigation systems interrupt device operation or alter the travel direction of the device so that the device avoids contact and/or does not unnecessarily interfere with the travel of moving bodies.
The device position monitoring systems also complicate device construction and implementation. The known art discloses a number of paradigms associated with monitoring the position of the device relative to its operating environment. Such systems commonly include positioning a number of detectors about the operating environment and configuring the device to wirelessly communicate with the detectors. Complex triangulation calculations are then used to assess the position of the device with respect to the operating environment such that the device can alter travel directions to ensure near full coverage of the area to be cleaned. Alternatively, other more demanding positioning systems, such as global positioning systems (GPS) have been provided to near continuously assess the position the autonomous device relative to a work environment.
As mentioned above, many autonomous floor cleaning devices also include structures or controls associated with ledge avoidance guidance. Many autonomous floor cleaning devices are simply unable to traverse stairs or elevational discontinuities common to many living environments. To avoid traveling over such structures, many floor cleaning devices are provided with electronic or mechanical “feeler” systems that detect elevational discrepancies in the path of the device. When such a discrepancy is detected, the navigation system alters the direction of travel of the device such that the device maintains an upright orientation.
Each of the navigation and guidance solutions discussed above complicates the construction of the respective autonomous floor device and/or use or integration of the floor cleaning device relative to the intended operating environment. Furthermore, where such systems require the movable device to support the operation of the necessary detectors, sensors, and the like, such systems increase the weight associated with the moving portion of the cleaning system as well as consume the limited energy resources that must be supported by the autonomous device. Furthermore, more sophisticated navigational controls increase manufacturing and operational demands associated with providing such systems. Accordingly, although such systems improve user confidence that the device will be able to maintain its autonomous nature for a longer duration and/or for a number of cleaning cycles without user interaction, such systems also substantially complicate the construction of the device and reduce the amount of energy that is available for consumption by the cleaning systems.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an autonomous floor cleaning device with a guidance/control system having more efficient operation and that is simple to implement.
Independent of the navigation/guidance system of the autonomous floor cleaning device, many such devices are known and operate in a variety of cleaning modes. For example, autonomous floor cleaning devices that include vacuum cleaners, floor buffers, wet floor cleaning systems, and autonomous floor cleaning devices that apply a wet and/or a dry fabric, cloth, or woven applicator to a floor are known. Although such systems improve the utility of autonomous floor cleaning devices, such devices are not without their respective drawbacks.
For instance, during autonomous operation, cleaning devices equipped with a rotatable brush or “beater bar” can occasionally snag or become entangled with an end of a thread or fray commonly found near the perimeter of the carpet of a room. Such occurrence presents the opportunity that the cleaner will unravel the thread into the field of the carpet causing an unacceptable blemish. Further, for those systems equipped with multiple cleaning modes, such as a rotating brush for use with carpet and a cleaning pad for use with floors, it is commonly undesirable to have both of such cleaning systems concurrently engaged. As is commonly understood, operating a rotatable brush over wood covered floors can mar or undesirably affect the finish of the floor if debris becomes entangled in the rotatable brush. Similarly, passing a cleaning cloth over a carpeted floor can result in unnecessary use and/or wear of the cleaning cloth and/or floor carpet as well as premature draining of the power source of the autonomous cleaning device.
Furthermore, although a number of known devices have multiple cleaning modes, such devices are generally not specific to the particular composition of the material of the floor being cleaned. That is, such devices are commonly limited with respect to cleaning carpeted floors as compared to solid surface floors. Understandably, with respect to solid surface flooring materials, it is often desirable to have a cleaning mode that is more nearly tailored to the type of material being cleaned. Simply, such devices commonly leave many areas that are simply not adequately cleanable with a given device configuration. Such operation requires a user to either provide multiple differently configured cleaning devices and/or be present to alter the state of operation of the cleaning device to coincide with the floor beneath the device. Providing multiple floor cleaning devices unnecessarily increases user costs whereas manually configuring such devices for operation over different flooring materials detracts from the benefits associated with the autonomous nature of such systems.
Therefore, it would also be desirable to provide an autonomous floor cleaning device that is operable in several cleaning modes without unnecessary operation of those systems associated with unused cleaning devices and/or undesirable user interaction/monitoring of the device.
As evidenced below, the assignee of the present application has contributed significantly to manual and automatic cleaning technologies.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0031121, filed on Aug. 14, 2002, discloses an autonomous floor cleaning device that includes a vacuum cleaner having a beater bar and which is generally encircled by a replaceable disposable dust ruffle. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0031113, also filed on Aug. 14, 2002, discloses a similar device with a non-concentric trailing portion that is equipped with an electrostatic skirt. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0031111, filed on Feb. 19, 2004, discloses a replaceable receptacle that cooperates with an autonomous floor cleaning device for collecting and disposing of debris collected by the device.
Allowed U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0229340, filed on Feb. 4, 2005, disclose an autonomous floor cleaning device that includes a reel of cleaning material that is supported behind a rotatable brush with respect to a direction of travel of the cleaning device. The device includes a fluid dispenser that applies a cleaning solution to the cleaning material to improve the efficacy of the cleaning material.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2006/0288519, filed on Jun. 28, 2005, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,578,020, discloses an autonomous floor cleaning device that includes a number of cleaning devices that removably cooperate with the device such that each cleaning device is independently removable and replaceable.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2006/0293794, filed on Jun. 28, 2005, discloses an autonomous cleaning device that cooperates with RFID tags associated with the area that is to be cleaned so as to determine the cleaning path and operation of the device.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2008/0188984, filed on Apr. 10, 2008, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,389,166, discloses autonomous floor cleaning devices that are configured to apply a liquid to the floor being cleaned and constructed to limit wheel slip during movement of the device across the floor.
Although only tangentially related to the subject matter of the above-referenced publications, a PCT application, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/948,676, was filed on Jul. 9, 2007 and titled “Handheld Portable Devices For Touchless Particular Matter Removal” and discloses a handheld cleaning device that is useful for removing particulate debris in a manner wherein the cleaning device does not contact the underlying surface being cleaned.
Also generally unrelated to autonomous floor cleaning device, Applicant's copending PCT International Application PCT/US2008/003926, filed on Mar. 26, 2008, entitled “Refillable Devices For Dispensing Fluids”, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/908,312, filed on Mar. 27, 2007, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/946,848, filed on Jun. 28, 2007, discloses a cleaning system that includes a number of cleaning solutions in a unitary package for application to at least one surface to be cleaned. As will be apparent to one of ordinary skill, such a system could be mounted to the device of the present invention to give it cleaning capabilities for multiple surfaces.
The disclosures of each of the documents referenced above, as they each generally relate to cleaning operations, are hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
Therefore, in accordance with the background discussed above, it would be desirable to provide an autonomous cleaning device that can be economically produced, is simple to use and can be easily integrated and/or configured for operation in a variety of environments, and supports a number of cleaning modes wherein each mode can be associated with a type of floor material that is intended to be cleaned.